How to Get Out of a Sports Car

Getting out of a low car seat can feel like a challenging task, especially if you deal with stiffness, pain, or limited mobility. This was the case with my client's ninety-two year-old mother who was struggling with getting out of her beloved Audi A4 Cabriolet. By showing her mother the principles she had learned in her own Alexander Technique lessons, her mother was able to get out of the car with much greater ease. She also kindly sent me a couple of photos that highlight just how low the car seat is.

The Alexander Technique, a method designed to improve posture, balance, and movement, offers practical tools to make this process smoother and more efficient. Here, we'll look at how applying the Alexander Technique can make this everyday action into an opportunity for mindful and easier movement.

Low car seats often require you to:

1. Shift your weight from a low, reclined position.
2. Navigate the restriction of the car door and surrounding space.
3. Coordinate your movement with gravity to rise to a standing position.

Without awareness, this movement can strain the lower back, hips, and knees. The Alexander Technique helps by encouraging mindful alignment, reducing unnecessary tension, and promoting ease in movement.

Here’s how you can use the Alexander Technique to get out of a low car seat:

Before attempting to move, pause for a moment. 

• Notice your body’s position in the seat. Are you slumping or tensing in preparation to move?
• Tune into your breathing. Allow it to flow naturally, avoiding shallow breaths or holding your breath.

This moment of stillness interrupts habitual patterns and creates space for a more efficient movement.

The Alexander Technique considers the head-neck relationship as a key to balanced movement. 

• Think of your head gently releasing "forward and up" as the back of your neck lengthens. "Forward" in this context means a rotation forward over the atlanto-occiptal joint, that is, where your skull meets the spine. This may be higher up than you realise, through an axis directly below your ear lobes. Avoid actively pulling your chin toward your chest or stiffening your neck.

This natural alignment helps you engage your entire body in an organized way, reducing strain.

• While seated, turn your body and swing your legs out of the car. Keep your movements smooth and controlled. Avoid twisting your spine; instead, use your hips to guide the movement.
• Shift yourself to the edge of the seat maintaining contact with it through your sit bones. It's helpful to consider your sits bones on either side of your pelvis as being "heels" for your torso, and that you're effectively already stood up on them, remaining tall in he torso.

To prepare to stand:

• Place both feet flat on the ground,  at least hip-width apart, keeping your legs relaxed without any intention of using them yet.
• Hinge forward from the hips to bring your torso over your feet until you feel your legs naturally engage with the ground. Avoid collapsing into your lower back or gripping your thighs for support.

This forward movement allows you to connect with gravity and prepares your body for the next step.

To start the motion:

• Push the floor away from you through your heels.
• Think of unfolding upwards rather than pushing yourself up. Think of your spine lengthening and your body expanding as you move.
• Avoid overusing your legs or back. Instead, engage your entire body in the movement.

By allowing your head to lead, your body naturally follows, reducing effort and strain.

Once you’ve risen to a standing position:

• Pause briefly to notice your balance. Are you centered over your feet, or are you leaning forward or back? 
• Allow yourself to remain upright without unnecessary tension in your shoulders, jaw, or legs.

This final pause reinforces a sense of ease and balance.

And if you're wondering how to best get into the seat, take the exact same pathway back again, as if you'd been filmed getting out of the car, then watched it in reverse.

1. Rushing: Moving too quickly often leads to unnecessary tension. Take your time to move with awareness. 
2. Overusing the Arms: Pushing on the car frame or armrest can strain your shoulders and arms, and encourage a collapse in the torso leading to greater discoordination and effort.
3. Tensing Your Neck: No amount of neck tension is going to make your legs work more efficiently, quite the opposite in fact.
4. Tensing the Lower Back: Let your back remain lengthened and open instead of arching or rounding excessively.

The Alexander Technique is not just about posture—it’s about how you move through life. By applying its principles, you can learn to:

• Work with gravity instead of against it.
• Reduce strain on joints and muscles.
• Move with greater awareness and efficiency.

Practicing this technique regularly not only makes getting out of a low car seat easier but also improves your overall movement patterns in daily life.

Getting out of a low car seat may seem trivial, but it’s a perfect opportunity to practice mindful movement. By applying the Alexander Technique, you can turn this everyday activity into a moment of self-care and awareness. With practice, you’ll find that moving with ease becomes second nature—not just in your car, but everywhere you go.  

Want to learn more about the Alexander Technique? Contact me and start your journey to better movement today.